Can a catalyst change an exothermic reaction into an endothermic reaction or vice versa? Please explain your answer.

A catalyst cannot change an exothermic reaction into an endothermic reaction or vice versa.

Explanation:

Catalyst is basically a substance that enables a chemical reaction to occur at a faster rate as compared to the reaction without catalysis. It lowers the activation energy and temperature for a chemical reaction and a catalyst itself does not goes through any permanent chemical change. This means it does not get used in the process.

Exothermic and endothermic are the chemical reaction. Exothermic reactions absorb energy. This energy is absorbed in the form of heat. When the energy is released in the form of heat then this reaction is called endothermic. So one absorbs the heat and the other  releases it.

As we know that the catalyst does not undergo change at the end of the reaction so the energy or heat whether is absorbed or emitted or you can say whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic, the total energy stays unchanged during the reaction. So with and without a catalyst, if both have same reactants and products and the difference in enthalpy between products and reactants will be the same.